Mechanism for raising the needle-bar.



D. S. SEYMOUR.

MECHANISM FOR RAISING THE NEEDLE BAR.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5. 1910.

Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH co..wASHlNnToN. D. c.

D. S. SEYMOUR.

MECHANISM FOR RAISING THE NEEDLE BAR.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 5. I910.

Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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DUDLEY S. SEYMOUR, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NOR TO UNION SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

MECHANISIVI FOR RAISING THE NEEDLE-BAR.

Application filed November 5, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DUDLEY S. SEYMOUR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oak Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Raising the Needle-Bar, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in devices for raising the needle out of the material after the machine has stopped. It is customary in the operation of the sewing machine for the operator after the machine has stopped, to engage the hand wheel and by turning the same, raise the needle above the material if it should happen that the machine stops with the needle in the material. In machines however, where the feed is longitudinally of the arm of the machine, so that the operator necessarily sits at the end of the machine instead of at the side of the machine, it is found impractical to reach the hand wheel for raising the needle bar.

An object of the present invention is to provide means which is readily accessible to the operator in a machine of the above type for raising the needle out of the material after the machine is stopped.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above character which is so constructed that during the operation of the machine there is no movement whatever of the manipulating device for raising the needle.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention:Figure 1 is a side view of a sewing .machine having my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a section of the driving shaft, showing my manipulating device in plan view. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3, 3, of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section through the manipulating device on the line 4, 4:, of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, I have shown a sewing machine which consists of a bed plate 1, having a standard 2 supporting an overhanging arm 3 and a cylindrical bed plate 4. The overhanging arm carries a needle bar 5 at its forward end, which is mounted to reciprocate therein and carries a needle or Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

Serial No. 590,918.

needles 6 at its lower end. A presser bar 7 is mounted in the overhanging arm and carries a presser foot 8 which may be of any desired construction. The feed of the machine is so positioned and operated that the material is fed in a direction longitudinally of the arm of the machine. This necessitates the operator of the machine sitting at the forward end thereof instead of at the side of the machine.

The main shaft extends through the overhanging arm and is provided with the usual hand and belt wheel 9. The main shaft is connected in any desired way with the needle bar so that as the shaft is rotated, the needle bar is reciprocated. A sleeve 10 is fixedly secured to the main shaft 11 by a set screw 12. The sleeve at one end as herein shown has an integral collar 13 and at the other end a detachable collar 11 which may be secured to the sleeve in any desired way.

Freely mounted on the sleeve 10 and between the collars 18 and 1 1, are two spaced rings 15 and 16, which are connected by a plate 17. The rings 15 and 16 have outwardly extending ears 18 and 19 between which is loosely pivoted an arm 20. The arm 20 is rigidly attached to a stud 21 which is freely mounted in the ears 18 and 19. The plate 17 carries an outwardly projecting ledge 22 in which is mounted a screw 23. The arm 20 at its inner end is provided with a clutching cam surface 24-. The weight of the arm 20 normally holds the clutching surface out of engagement with the sleeve 10. The arm 20 extends through a slot formed in the side of the overhanging arm of the machine and is located adjacent the forward end of the overhanging arm so as to be readily accessible to the operator sitting at the front end of the machine. When the machine is stopped, if the operator finds that the needles are beneath the material so that the work cannot be removed, then the lever 20 is grasped by the hand and raised.

The lifting of the arm 20 will at once cause the cam clutching end thereof to grip the sleeve 10 and the further raising of the arm will turn the shaft ll and raise the needles well above the surface of the material, so that the material may be readily removed from the machine. As soon as the needles are raised, the operator releases the arm 20 which would drop by gravity to its normal position as shown in Fig. 3. It will thus be seen that I have provided means for raising the needle above the surface of the material Which is normally at rest during the operation of the machine and yet which is readily accessible to the operator and may be quickly manipulated for the raising of the needle.

Having thus particularly described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The combination of an overhanging arm, a work support, a presser foot, means for raising the presser foot, a stitch-forming mechanism including a needle, a lever normally stationary during the operation of the machine, and devices independent of the presser footlifting means located within the overhanging arm and operated by said lever for raising the needle above the work support after the stitch-forming mechanism has stopped.

I 2. The combination of a work support, an overhanging arm, a shaft mounted in said overhanging arm, a needle mounted in the overhanging arm and reciprocated by said shaft, and means normally stationary during the operation of the machine and operating directly upon said shaft for raising the needle above the work support after the stitch forming mechanism has stopped.

3. The combination of a work support, an overhanging arm, a shaft mounted in said overhanging arm, a needle mounted in the overhanging arm and reciprocated by said shaft, a lever normally stationary during the operation of the machine, and means intermediate said lever and said shaft for raising the needle above the work support .after the stitch forming mechanism 1S stopped.

4E. Thecombination of a work-support, an overhanging arm, a shaft mounted in said overhanging arm, a needle mounted in the overhanging arm and reciprocated by said shaft, a sleeve fixed on said shaft, a normally stationary clutch lever adapted to engage said sleeve and oscillate said shaft for raising the needle above the work support after the stitch forming mechanism is stopped.

5. The combination of a work support, an overhanging arm, a shaft mounted in said overhanging arm, a needle mounted in the overhanging arm and reciprocated by said shaft, a sleeve fixed on said shaft, supporting rings freely mounted on said sleeve, a clutch member carried by said rings, and normally holding said rings from rotating with the shaft, a clutch face formed on said lever and engaging said sleeve when said lever is raised for oscillating the shaft.

6. The combination of a work support, an overhanging arm, stitch-forming mechanism including a needle and means for reciprocating the needle, and means normally stationary during the operation of the machine for shifting the position of the needle relative to the work support after the stitchforming mechanism has stopped, said shifting means being provided with a support so positioned as to hold said shifting means out of engagement with the needle-reciprocating means the needle being at all times connected with its reciprocating means.

7. The combination with an overhanging arm, a work support, stitch-forming mechanism including a needle, a normally stationary lever located adjacent the forward end of the machine, and devices operated by said lever for shifting the position of the needle relative to the work support after the stitchforming mechanism is stopped, said lever being heavier on the end farthest away from its fulcrum, whereby it will always be at rest in its initial position the needle being at all times connected with its reciprocating means.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

DUDLEY S. SEYMOUR.

Witnesses C. MGNEIL, A. B. CLo'rHInn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

